Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-06-13
c A T A r r H

THE TERM CATARKH rs AP-
Il piled to n peculiar disorder of the
nostfis and adjacent parts, which prevails
TO an alarming extent and is productive OF
very serious consequences.
The most prominent and characteristic
features is Il morbid discharge from the
head, varying in its nature at different
times.
In some there is an almost con slant flow
Of clear, acid fluid, but oftener an offensive,
purultnt. or muco.purulent, gIeenish-yel-
low matter is seereted, which accumulates
in the nostrils or drops Into The throat,
necessitatlng its frequent removal by blow
ing the hose or expectoration. and often by
Dogn processes Sometimes patients feel as
though their whole head was in state Of
rottenness, so great is the amount of matter
discharged and SO fetid is Its odor The
patient is greatly annoyed by the constant
dropping into the throat OF the morbid
matter from the head, and as a recumbent
position nsturall" favors the flow down
wa d, his rest is frequently disturbed from
this cause. Many sufferers are obliged to
lie with the head very much elevated in
order to sleep with some degree of com
fort.
In others a tough, viscid and offe nsive
phlegm collects behind and above the soft
palate, in the passage between the tn oat
and head. adhering to the parts with gluish
tenacity. Its lodgment embarrasses respi.
ration and creates sensation of irritation
and uneasiness in the affected locality,
which gives rise to a constant and almost
Irresistible desire to relieve the discomfort
by drawing the mucous into the throat SO as
to eject II by the mouth This practice,
popularity known as hawking" Is chsrac
teristic of catarrh, and proves as embar.
RAISING to the one affected as 1t is disagree.
able to those around him
Again, the offensive matter hardens and
deposits itself ON the membrane in the
shape of dry, hard concreions, which are
discharged by way of the nostrils or throat
in Jumps or fragments of a deep green tint.
late to such an extent as tn form regular
plug in the nose, which obstructs breathing
and produces serious discomfort. So firmly
do these inerustations adhere 10 the point
of attachment that their removal usually
erquires the most violent efforts; not unfre
quently they have to be t0ru from the mem.
brane. occasionally solid cast OF notable
size is expelled oil which there are gener-
ally traces of blood, but in some cases the
cast presents a tubular appearance, being
of exact shape of the nasal cavity. This
condition is indicative of liberation, which
in time may destroy the bony structure of
the nose and produce subsequent fiatten-
ing of that organ.
Cases are occasionally met with In which
a thick, viscid, Shiny secretion coats the
membrane of the nasal cavities and then
putrifes, giving rise to stencil which Is
really overpowering and sufficiently fetid
to poison the atmosphere of a whole room;
and there are others in which all the seere-
tions of the membrane are suspended, caus.
ing an unpleasant feeling Of dryness. heat
and feverishness in the head and noses
condition popularity known as DRY Ca.
tarrh."
The disease speedily extends to the air
cavities of the bones of the forehead and
face, giving rise to distressing sensation
OF heavy weight or compression over the
forehead, especially in the region above
and between the eyes, and to feeling of
fullness, heat, irritation. soreness or pain
in the nostrils near the root of the nose, 81
well in the nnnpT ma 1T of tho throat ahnvQ
and behind the soft palate. Sometimes
there is pain obstiDaiely fixed in some par.
ticulaI part. as in the temple, on the top OF
the head, at the back of the neck, or behind
the orbits. and occasionally pain manitests
itself in the face of so severe a character
that it is frequently mistaken for neuralgia
The breath is always tainted and at times
assumes an exceeding fetid and sickening
1ngly offensive as to render the sufferer
sn object OF disgust to himself as well as to
others.
The nasal membrane is thickened and
congested, causing the nose TO be stopped
up, sometimes on one side, sometimes on
the other, and often on both, giving ris e to
disagreeable stuffy sensation in the head,
and oecasioning violent and prolonhed
The voice is weak, indistinct and husky
or OF nasal Character, displaying Il sort OF
smiling quality. Oftentimes there is a con-
tinuous hoarseness and discordance. There
and frequent attempts to clear the parts OF
phlegm, producing the sound "hem" more
or less forcibly In some cases patients
complain of an uncomfortable feeling OF
fullness. or choky sensation in the throat
and in otherP of distressing and almost
consta Mt dryhess. for the temporary relief
OF which they have to swallow frequently.
Others, again, speak of constant bad or
nauseous taste in the mouth or throat.
The stomach generally suffers more or
less and becomes weak and irritable; the
appetite is capricious and nearly always bad
IN the morning, The patient Is languid, un-
able to perform mental or physical labor
with the usual facility; is nervous, de-
pressed In spirits, at times fearful, timid,
agitated and inclined to drowsiness and
sleep, the memory weakened and perman-
ent impairment threatened.
The mucus membrane soon becomes NOR
bidly sensitive to unfavorable influences,
and In spite of the utmost care becomes af-
ifected from the slightest causes, SO that at
last breath OF wind upon the lining of the
nose or throat becomes productive OF cold,
and gives rise to serious disturbances of the
respiratory organs. Thus the patient is sub
lect to frequent and repeated colds, each
attack aggravating the disease by giving 1t
new impulse and involving larger ex-
tent or surface than its predecessor. In this
manner the difficulty spreads from organ to
organ, invading the throat. larynx, traches
and bronchial tubes. until, encroaching
further and further, it reaches the finer
ramifications of the broDchi, when but a
slight impulse is required to send it to the
lungs. Catarrh may, and often does, affect
other organs in the body, especially those
containing mucus membrane, such as the
stomach, bowels, kidneys, etc.
BY the employ ment OF proper inhalati0ns
In the form of medicated vapor (not steam
or spray we are able to produce immediate
ana direct action upon the diseased surface
IN the pharynx and nasal passages for air
viii fnd.its way into the most remote aud
intricate cavities. where 1t is utterly impos-
sible to make fluid applications. Bv these
means every case can he cured.
OZGNA.
Oznna is. the professional or technical
name given to the advanced form of catarrh
In which liberation has eaten through the
membrane lining OF the nose to the oartil-
age OF the bone. Any case OF catarrh may
end In ozona, but 1t most frequently occurs
IN those who are naturally scrOfulous. The
discharge takes place through the nostrils
or through the throat, and is generally of
yeiicw1sh or greenish yellow color, freqent-
ly tinged with blood, and almost always at
tended by an offensive smell. In the Ian
guage of DR.. Wood, of Philadelphia. "The
disease Is ore of the most ebdurate and
dfsagreeable which the physician has to
encounter. In bad cases the breath OF the
him from society and to render him an OBJ
lect of disgust even to himself" In some
cases pieces OF bone become separated and
slough of, leaving deep, unhealthy ulcers,
which secrete bloody matter and are ex.
tremely difficult to heal. After ozoena has
continued for some time the sense of smell
usually becomes impaired and often lost.
Deafness Is one OF the most common conse-
Iuences, and results from its extension
through the .eustachian tnbes to the internal
sar. rains In the head and over the frontal
'inuses, impairing memory, and even in
,anfty frequently springs fran ite axtansiou